Sanitary headrest for chairs



Dec. 27, 1932- E. B. CLEARWATER SANITARY HEADREST FOR CHAIRS Filed Aug. 27, 1931 I Patented Dec. 27, 1932 UNITED STATES EDGAR B. CLEARWATER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS SANITARY HEADREST FOR CHAIRS Application filed August 27, 1931.

My present invention relates to sanitary head rests for chairs and is particularly concerned with devices for maintaining the head rests of dental chairs in a sanitary condition.

5 Modern dental chairs are generally provided with head rests consisting of a pair of separate pads disposed at an angle to each other and adapted to be adjusted into various convenient positions so as to support the head of the patient in the most desirable position for various operations. Various forms of separate coverings have been proposed for the pads of dental chairs but the devices of the prior art have not been economical nor capable of having the head rest covering changed expeditiously and efficiently.

One of the reasons for the shortcomings of the devices of the prior art probably lies in the fact that the head rests of dental chairs are arranged at an angle to each other so that it is difiicult to arrange a roll of paper or other covering in such manner as to cover both of the pads which comprise a head rest for a dental chair.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of an improved sanitary head rest for dental chairs by means of which the angularly disposed pads which comprise the usual head rest upon a dental chair may be covered with a fresh and sanitary covering for each new patient, thereby maintaining the head rest in a. sanitary condition at all times Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved device of the class described which is capable of application to various different forms of head rests and which is capable of being operated with ease and efiiciency in removing the used head rest covvering and providing a fresh and sanitary covering.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of the class described which is simple, sturdy, economical, eflicient and .which may be manufactured at a very low 'cost so as to place the device within the means of a vast number of purchasers.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved device for holding a sanitary paper roll in predetermined relation with respect to the angular pads usually ear Serial No. 559,683.

ployed upon dental chairs so as to provide a sanitary covering for such pads which can be instantaneously renewed by merely releasing the end of the paper, pulling down a fresh supply and tearing of[' the covering which has been used.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved device of the class described which is adapted to releasably yet securely hold a common paper covering in position to provide a sanitary covering for two angularly disposed pads of the type usually employed upon dental chairs or the like.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawing in which similar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the single sheet of drawing,

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a dental opcrating chair equipped with a sanitary head rest constructed according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the holder for a paper roll and the end of the paper.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the plane of line 3-3 of 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional View taken through one of the trunnions of the holder, showing the details of the trunnion and the securing block.

Referring to E ig. 1, 10 indicates in its on tirety, one of the types of head rests most commonly used in the dental profession and for which the present sanitary covering device 11 isparticularly adapted. Thepresent device is described in connection with a dental chair but it should be understood that it is capable of usewith operating chairs of various types and the present chair is merely exemplary of one of the types of operating chairs to which the invention may be applied. The head rest 10 preferably includes a supporting shank 12 which is slidably adjustable with respect to the operating chair and which may be provided with an upper forked end consisting of two portions 13 and 14 extending to the right and left.

The portions 13 and 14 of the head rest comprise supporting members for the pads and 16 which are provided with upper surfaces 17 and 18 generally arranged at an angle with respect to each other and adapted to engage the sides of the head of the patient at the back. Each of the pads 15 is mounted on suitable supporting bodies 19 and 20 com prising castings which are pivotally mounted upon the sup-porting members 13 and 14 by bolts 21, 22 or any other suitable form of pivotal mounting.

It will be observed that the pads 15 and 16 have their supporting surfaces 17 and 1 8 arranged at an angle to each other in such manner that it is difficult to provide a common renewable paper covering for both pads, in the form of a roll of paper or similar material, particularly in view of the fact that the pads 15 and 16 are angularly adjustable.

'Referring to Fig. 2, this is a plan view of my holding device for a sanitarycovering adapted to be utilized to cover pads of the type shown in Fig. 1. The holder 11 preferably comprises two. strips of sheet metal, indicated in their entirety by the numerals 23, 24, and pivotally mounted upon each other at the trunnions 25, 26. The inner strip 23 comprises a main body portion 27 which is preferably slightly longer than the width of the paper 28 carried in the form of a roll 29 on the trunnions 25, 26. The ends of the strip 23 are bent at 30 at substantially right angles to the body 27 of the strip 23, T011111.

ing the forwardly extending portions 31, 32 for supporting the roll 29.

The outside strip 24 preferably comprises a main body portion 33 which is of greater length than the main body 27 of the str p 23, extending to the points 34 at each end slightly beyond the corners 30 for a purpose further 1 to be described.

.At the points 34, the strip 24 is bent forward, forming the forwardly and diagonally extending portions 35, 36. At the points 3(, the portions 35 and 36 are bent outward to extend substantially parallel to the portions 31 and 32 of the inner strip 23. The strips 23 and 24 may consist of resilientmetal, such as steel, and the complete device is preferably plated with nickel or chromium so as to present a very attractive appearance appropriate for any modern operating chair. 7

The trunnions 25 and26 are identical in construction and, therefore, the construction of this part of the devicewill be described for only one end of the device. Trunnion 26 comprises a substantially cylindrical metal plug having its end 38 turned down to provide a cylindrical member of reduced diameter and an annular shoulder 39. The inner strip 23 has its forwardly projecting end 32 provided with 'a circular bore or aperture 40 which is adapted to be rotatably received up on the reduced part 38 of the trunnion 26. The bore 40 forms a bearing for the part 38.

The forwardly extending part 36, of the outer strip 24 is also provided with a bore 41 for receiving the reduced end 38 and the reduced end 38 is riveted over at 42 to secure the trunnion 26 to the strip 24. The end portion 32 is resiliently clamped between the annular shoulder 39 and the outer strip portion 36, thereby introducing sufiicient friction to hold the parts in predetermined position and it will be observed that the trunnion 26 thus notonly supports the roll 29 but it is adapted to pivotally secure the strips 23 and 24 together.

The main body portion 27 of the strip 23 preferably has a bevelledsurface 43 located on its outside adjacent the lower edge for the purpose of permitting the member 24 to rotate more readily with respect to the member 23 on the trunnions 25 and 26. Furthermore,

the bores 40and 41 are preferably not located midway between the bottom and top edges of thestrips 23, 24,.but'are preferably disposed closer to the lower edge. It will thus be observed that the bevelled surface 43 may be located substantially on the line of a circle having for its radius the distance from 'the center of the trunnion 26 to the outsideof the strip 23, thereby facilitating the rotation of the outer member 24in a downward direction.

The location of the bores 40, 41 toward the lower side of the strips also tends to prevent rotation of the strip 24 upward on the strip 23 when the'two strips have reached a position in which their edges are aligned, and

any further upward rotation of the strip 24 relative to strip 23 tends to draw these strips more tighty together to clamp the paper 28.

The'formation of the outer strip 24 with the diagonally extending portions 36 tends to give the outer strip better resilient qualities for resiliently clamping the paper28 against the strip 23 and also facilitates the manipulation of the holder because the operator can readily pivot the strips23 an'd24 apart by merely placing his forefingerupon the lower side of the partr32and his thumb upon the upper side of the diagonally extending portion 36, if he is using his right hand,

Many other modes of the use of the fin;

gers in manipulating'this holder will read ily occur to one skilled in the artand the manipulation described is merely exemplary of one of the convenient ways of handling the device. In any event, the separat on between the diagonally extending portions 35 or 36 and the forwardly extending portions31 and 32 facilitates the manipulation because these parts arespaced far enough tobe engaged conveniently by the fingers and pushed whatever way the operator desires.

The inner strip 23 is preferably provided with an inner securing block 44 which may be secured to the strip 23 by riveting, spot welding or any convenient fasteningineans. The block. 44 preferably comprises a substantially rectangular block of metal having a semi-cylindrical groove 45. A similar clamping block 46 has a similar semi-cylindrical groove 47 located to register with the groove 45 and together the grooves. 45 and 47 are substantially complementary to the shank 12. The grooves 45 and 47 are preferably of slightly less depth than the radius of the shank 12 so that when the blocks 44, 46 engage the shank 12, the shank may be clamped between these blocks, thereby securing the holder in a fixed position on the shank 12.

The block 44 is preferably provided with a pair of threaded bores 48 adapted to receive the screw bolts 49 which pass through bores in the block 46. The arrangement of the paper upon the pads 15 and 16 is best illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3. The roll of paper 29 preferably has a hole at each end for receiving the trunnions 26 and the trunnions 26 may be of sufficient size to substantially fit in the ends of the roll of paper.

The forwardlv projecting portions 31, 32, 35, 36 of the holder 11 are sufficiently resilient so that they may be sprung apart to insert the trunnions 25, 26 in the roll. The forwardly projecting portions 31, 32, 35, 36 resiliently clamp the ends of the roll of the paper and prevent the paper from unrolling. The paper is then arranged as shown in Fig. 3 and it passes up in frontof the head rest over the pads 15 and 16 and downward behind the pads and shank 12 where the end of the paper passes between the strips 23 and 24. Thatportion of the paper projecting below the strips 23 and 24 is prefera-' bly torn off, thereby presenting a neat appearance at all times. Although the paper strip 28 does not originally conform to the planes of the supporting surfaces 17 and 18 on the pads 15 and 16, the paper strip 28 is preferably of sufiicient width so that when the head of the patient is placed between the pads 15 and 16, a. V-shaped formation is made in the paper by the head and the paper is pressed down between the pads 15 and 16, but the width of the paper is sufficient to cover both pads.

The operation of the present device is as follows:

The sanitary paper covering having been arranged as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the operating chair may be used and the paper provides a fresh and sanitary covering for the pads 15 and 16. As soon as one patient has been finished and preparatory to receiving another patient, the operator moves the outer strip 24 downward with his fingers and grasps the end of the paper between the thumb and forefinger. The paper may then be pulled downward between the parts 27 and 33 of the holder until a fresh and clean portion of the paper is disposed above the pads 15 and 16.

The parts of the holder are then again rotated into the position of Fig. 3, the end of the paper being clamped by the strips 23 and 24. The operator may then tear off the paper which he has pulled out below the strip 24,. using the lower edge of the strip 24 as a guide or cutting edge in tearing the paper. A little practice or constant usage enables the operator to renew the sanitary covering with very few motions and with a minimum waste of time.

The covering material is preferably sup plied in the form ofv a roll 29 consisting of relatively thin paper which may be provided with a glossy surface or with a matte surface, as desired. The paper is preferably sufficiently strong to eliminate any possibility of tearing in the usual operation of the device. It should be understood, however, that paper is preferably employed on account of its cheapness, but any relatively cheap and renewable sheet material or fabric may be employed, if desired.

It will thus be observed that I have invented an improved sanitary head rest which is adapted to be applied to modern operating chairs and which is adapted to cover the angularly disposed supporting surfaces on head pads. The present device is simple, efficient and capable of very economical manufacture. The head pads are maintained in a sanitary condition at all times and this is particularly desirable where patients have the habit or customof applying various oils or other preparations to the hair. It is very distasteful to most patients to be compelled to lay their heads upon pads which do not have a sanitary appearance and the practice of sanitary methods in every respect is advantageous from every point of view.

WVhile I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, many modifica-' tions may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of all changes within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a sanitary head rest, the combination of an upwardly projecting shank with a pair of angularly disposed head pads carried by said shank for supporting the head of an occupant, a roll supporting device comprising securing means for securing said device upon said shank, resilient means for rotatably supporting a roll of paper and for frictionally and resiliently engaging said roll to resist unrolling of the paper, and said resilient means also comprising clamping means for engaging both sides of the end of a strip of paper extending from said roll upward in front of said shank, over said pads, and downward to said clamping means,

whereby the paper is secured by said device at spaced points and the paper between said points is loose enough to conform itself to the angular disposition of said pads. A.

2. In a sanitary head rest, the combination of an upwardly projecting shank with a pair of angularly disposed head pads carried by said shank for supporting thehead of an occupant, a roll supportingdevice compris ing securing means for securing said device upon said shank, resilient means for rotatably supporting a roll of paper and for frictionally and resiliently engaging said roll to re sist unrolling of the paper, said resilient means also comprising clamping meansfor engaging both sides of the end of a strip of paper extending from said roll upward in a front of said shank, over saidv pads, and downward to said clamping means, whereby the paper is secured by said device at spaced points and the paper between said pointsiis loose enough to conform itself to the angular disposition of said pads, said paper strip being substantially widerthan the distance from the outside of one pad to the outside ofthe other pad to cover said pads when the paper is forced down between said-pads by V the head of the occupant;

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 17th day of August 1931.

EDGAR B.- GLEARWATER. 

